That's a good point I didn't consider as much that if you give them a range you should expect them to just counter at the high point. Just like giving a range for expected salary during a job interview.. you'd have to be prepared for the low end to be offered there. Yeah DC and Southern IL metro sound like two very different markets, and it's clearly a tactic better suited for different locations. I'm looking for my first house, though I've worked as a mortgage underwriter for over a decade (all post-2008 crash though).. I don't remember seeing nearly any contracts with escalators until the last couple of years, where it seems like it's on half of them now in hotter markets. They may have been common in previous sellers markets too, but I can't imagine they were the norm like they are today.

Congrats on your accepted offer. I'm curious though whether you had an escalator or not, as that'd be interesting to guess why they chose to ask you for the counter instead of the other offer with the escalator. Those two firsthand experiences may support the idea that the other terms are just as important (if not moreso) than the purchase price when choosing between multiple offers.